Demountable traction unit



NOV. 2l, 944. W E W|NE 2,363,105

DEMOUNTABLE TRACTION UNIT Filed-Aug. 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov., 2l, 1944. w. E. WINE I DEMOUNTABLE TRACTION UNIT Filed Aug. 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. ?l,` 1944 ifclaimsi (c1. soif-sty `My inventionrelatesifto tractorwheelsfand more` particularly' to a; ld'emount'able annular traction' unit `for such'wheels;

r "Ilhel principal object of f the invention.' is@ topro-` vide a demountableu annular traction' unit oit all. metal construction which employs-"a `minimum amountpof. metal. and-number of` parts andi possessesfthe requisite` strength. and; durability;

A. primary feature of the invention'` consistsy in' providingl af tractionunit with; a: pair ofV laterally'` spacedrims.` and with ai substantially `conicalplatesliker annulus which: isf` notchedadjacent its outer-edge toprovidealplurality-o divergingarms' rigidly securedato therims..

` Another `feature of the invention consists'. in

providing the centrali portion of; the' conically` shaped annulus of the traction unit with a flange' having laterally oifsetlportions adapted: for. "Sep flective attachment. to the: tractor Wheell sot-hat:

the "distance beweenthe tread portions.` ofthef wheels on the same` axleqmay be varied..

`Other and' morespcciiic features ofthe' invention`1` residing in advantageous forms,k combina-i tions'` and"` relations of, parts,.wil1 hereinafter ap' pear and be pointedlout inthe claims.

InA the drawings,` l

Figure` 1 is a side? elevationalxview of` a trac'- tion unitl embodying l one?" forml ofr the f invention; most of the shoesl with'which'the unitzis provifsl'eol-4 y being omittedl for clarity..

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View ofthe: traction unit taken onilinefZ-Z:ofligureyl, all.' but the shoes. at` theA top andthe bottomi ofi the'.`

unit `being omitted. l

Figure 3` is ai side elevational: view off a'. tractor:` unitY embodying; another "form" of the:` invention?,v most of the. shoes.' with.' Which.the unitis provided? being; omitted'.

Figure 44 is' ai vertical` transversersectional viewj oi .the"tractionf. unitf ill'strated in' Figure 3,. the" view `being takenzon..` lines 3-'-\3i ofthat. 'qure'` andi omitting all but t'hefslioes-rat'the.t'opsandI bottomof'theunit. s l

' Referring" more particularly' to. the; drawings and to'44 the form of. the` invention.. illustrate@` in Figures 1 andf 2f thereof,l I= indicates a pairqof` latteethi` I 5 which are: hereinafterdescribed 4@ or` each'L of'. the? spacers' are' connected. by `gear' Disposedzinwardly: oftherrims' isi a supporting' member therefor' vvhiclfr` is: in the form" of: a' sub-l stantially conical. plate-like annulus 6... The centra1- portion on the. annulusv is provided'with' a` flange` L which isv substantially-` perpendicular.v to:

l. l the axis of the wheel and has alplurality ofapertures 8for receiving-bolts or the like (not'shown) with which the` Wheelsupporton; a tractor axle is.l customarily provided for demountably securV ing the'wheel in place.1 y

The. outer edge portionfoi.theannulusisformed` with aj plurality of `substantially V-shaped' notches to provide a plurality of circumferentially' spaced arms `which are rigidly securedv` at `their extremitiestothe` rims l bvthe. rivets 2..` Some@` of` the` arms,4 designated. 91 inthedrawings, have the same inclination with, respect` to. the axisy of.

the Wheelas. the annulus and in elect constitute prolongations or continuations thereonwhile the.

'remaining arms, designated l 0; `are bentl outward;` lyjwitli respect to thesurface of` revolution deningthe outer faceqo'f theannulus so as to diverge 'fro1n`arms9. The two sets ofiarms thus `incline in opposite directions'withrespect to the `.axis of" the' wheel, being preferably' arranged at' equal angles' thereto; Moreover, the"` arms ofi on'e set preferably alternate Withthose off the other set and;V anequal' number'issecured" to each rim;

To" provide'a* track on' which thev traction unit may roll, a shoe Il is movably associated" with each` spacer 3'3 Each shoe hasa plateelik'e-base" portion` I2` .and downwardly" einzending"` transverse ground engagingfflanges `I`3Which"rnay be connected and suitably reinforced `by longitudinally p extending-ribs I4'.`

Each-shoe is loose'lyf connected; to' its associatedspacerV so` that', when it engages thev ground", the' p traction uniti or wheel movesirelatively to` it;` that is` to say, thershoe'upon engaging the ground be'- comes stationary` while the Wheel continues' to` move.r This may be accompli'shed by providing each spacer with transverse gear'teetl'i |=5 to form aA gear' seg-ment' and by providing each' shoe with gear teeth to forma rack with whichtlie teeth of' "the spacer areaolapted` tomesli. The pitch circle erally spaced' substantiallyr paralleli rim' elements.`

Interposed: between'y the rim elements' at'. suitable intervals and* ri'gidly'secured thereto byanycon'f venient means;A such'. as' rivets 2; area plurality' of spacers 3'. Each of. the' spacersl has'` upright` side` `walls 4 which are arranged` in overlapping rel'ab tion.witli`.the.`inner faces of the rim elements and through which the rivets 2 extend. Y The side walls 554 oii the gear teeth on the spacer' preferably hasttiesameY diameter asthat of thev` outer edges. of'

*the rirn`s=2 and the" `face portions as'y well? as the flank portions of each of the teethare adaptedI to; cooperate with tl"ie= teeth on'l the shoe. Eachs-hoe is-"f`or`med' with al central tooth t6- and' end teeth? |51-,` thel proles of' each of these teetli being' suoli asl torvwork withfthe teeth; on@

N OFFICE the spacers with a minimum of slipping or sliding. The central tooth IS has an extension I8 provided with an opening I9 toreceive a shoe retaining plate 20 which bridges the space between the teeth I on the spacer and is rigidly secured to one of the teeth by a bolt 2|. The opening I9 in the extension of the central tooth on the shoe through which plate passes is of suicient size and shape to permit the shoe to angle sufciently with respectto the rim `that the base portion of the shoe may assume a position substantially parallel with the surface over which the wheel is to pass at the time the weight of the wheel and the load it carries is transmitted tothe shoe.

The traction unit illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings is adapted to form the peripheral .portion of a tractor wheel and to be substituted for the demountable rubber tire with whichv trac-L tors are now customarily equipped. The particul lar unit shown in Figures 3 and 4 is well adapted A :for use with tractor wheels having demountable tire securing bolts located approximately `10k inches from the center of the wheel and where the outside diameter of the tire is about 38 inches.

It will, of course, be appreciated, however, that the dimensions of the unit may be changed as desired to accommodate it to an infinite number of different size wheels. l

Like the unit in Figures 1 and 2, the unit illus-` trated in Figures 3 and 4 has a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel rim elements 22 rigidly connected by rivets 23 to spacers 24, the latter being of the same construction as the spacers 3 in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2. n 'f t The supporting member for the rims 'consists of a plate-like annulus 25 of substantially conical shape. The central portion of the annulus'is provided with a flange having laterally oiset portions 26 and 21, respectively, which are substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis and are respectively adapted to be selectively attached to the tractor wheel. yThe offset portions 26 alternate with the oiset portions 21 and the two sets of portions are spaced unequal distances from a plane located midway between and parallel with the rim elements so that, by reversing the unit and securing one or the other set of offset portions to the wheel, the distance between the tread portion of the'wheels on the same axle may be varied.

The outer edge portion of the annulus is4 formed with a plurality of substantially V-shaped notches to provide a pluralityof circumferentially spaced arms which are secured to the rim elements 22 by the rivets 23. As in the unit of Figures 1 and 2, somev of the arms of the unit of Figures Band 4, designated 28 in the drawings, have the same inclination with respect to the axis of the wheel as the annulus, while the remaining arms, designated 29, are bent outwardly so as to diverge from arms 28. Arms 28 preferably alternate with arms 29 and they are advantageously disposed at equal angles to the axis of the Wheel.

The shoes 30 with which the unit is provided is of the same construction as the shoes Il in Figures 1 and 2 and they are connected to the spacers in the same manner by removable retain--` ing plates 3 I.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that I have devised a simple and rugged traction unit. Various changes in details of construction may, of course, be made in theA two forms of the invention illustrated and described without departing from Jthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

' What I claim is: l. A demountable tractor unit for a tractor wheel comprising a pair of laterally spaced rim elements, spacing members interposed between and rigidly secured to said rim elements, and a conically shaped plate-like annulus disposed inwardly ofA said rim elements adapted to be concentrically disposed with respect to the axis of thewheel, ther outer portion. of said annulus being integrally formed with a plurality of ciry cumferentially spaced arms, some of said arms having the same inclination with respect to the axis of vthe wheel as said annulus and being secured to one of said rim elements, others of said arms being oppositely inclined with respect to said axis and being secured to the other of said l rim elements.

conically shaped plate-like annulus disposed inwardly of said rim elements adapted to be concentrically disposed with respect to the'axislof i the wheel, the outer portion of said annulus being provided with a plurality of substantially V- shaped notches forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced arms, alternate ones of said arms being inclined in opposite directions with respect' to the axis of the wheel and being secured to different ones of said rim elements, the arms sel cured to one of said rim elements being inclined in the same direction and at substantially the same angle to the axis of the wheel as said annulus.

3. A demountable traction unit for a tractor wheel comprising a pair of laterally spaced rim elements, and a substantially conical plate-'like annulus disposed inwardly of said rimY elements for supporting the latter; the central portion of said annulus being provided with a ilange having two sets of laterally offset portions substantially perpendicular to the axis of the wheel adaptedY for selective attachment to the tractor wheel, one of said sets being spaced a greater distance from a plane located 'midway between and parallel with said rim elements than the other of said' sets, the cuter edge of said annulus being pro'- vided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced arms, alternate ones of said arms being inclined in opposite directions with respect to the axisof the wheel and the arms inclined in one direction being rigidly secured to one of said rim elements andthe arms inclined in the other direction being rigidly secured to the other rim element.

4. A demountable traction unitfor a tractor wheel comprising a pair of laterally spaced rim elements, and a substantially conical plate-like annulus disposed inwardly of said rim elements for supporting the latter, the central portion 'of said annulus beingprovided with a ange having two sets of laterally spaced portions adapted for selective attachment to the tractor wheel and respectively spaced unequal distances from a plane located midway between and parallel with said rim elements, the outer edge of said annulus being notched to provide a pluralityy of circum.,

ferentially spaced oppositely inclined arms, alternate ones of said arms being secured to different 

